By James Broughton, December 18, 2024
I would like to clarify the headline—I do not know if Sergio Perez was officially booted out of Red Bull. However, Perez certainly found himself with nowhere to hide and nowhere to run after a season spent mostly chasing his own tail, if not trying to find it. Perez is entering the later stages of his Formula 1 career, a career that has spanned an impressive 13 years. Spending over a decade in F1 is no small feat and reflects the high regard he holds among the sport’s movers and shakers. Yet, 2024 has seen Perez’s stock plummet like its 1929.
Perez’s F1 career has been solid, highlighted by six race wins. He is a highly capable driver, but Verstappen has laid bare his limitations, showing him to be just that—a highly capable driver. Verstappen’s performances have simply been on another level, one that Perez could not match. This driver/teamamte disparity is not unique to Red Bull Racing; it happens frequently in Formula 1 and indeed in many sports.
A Partnership of Two Tales
While Perez and Verstappen’s partnership was successful over the past three years, that success ratio nosedived in 2024. The Red Bull RB20 began the season as the dominant car but ended it as the third-best on the grid. Verstappen managed to adapt, driving through the RB20’s flaws to maintain consistent lap times. While not always the fastest, he was perpetually “there or thereabouts.”
Perez, in contrast, started the first five races strongly but saw his form decline as the season wore on. He simply could not match his teammate’s consistency. Some speculate that the RB20’s inherent flaws overwhelmed Perez, pushing him to the limits of his driving ability.
Red Bull viewed Sergio Perez as the ideal number-two driver, and while he initially fulfilled this role, the decline in Red Bull’s performance over the course of 2024 laid bare the fragile nature of F1 contracts. Perez is set to take a sabbatical in 2025, although Red Bull is keen to retain him in an ambassadorial role. Beyond 2025, however, a triumphant return seems unlikely—2024 marked the conclusion of Perez’s F1 career.
There’s no need to feel sorry for Perez. Formula 1 has made him a multimillionaire many times over. A sporting career is inherently short-lived, and eventually, retirement comes for all athletes. Formula One, as a collective sport, will quickly move on, and Sergio Perez will soon become just another statistic. In a week’s time, it will be, “Perez who?”
